


took the long way around

by upallnightstrungtight



Series: what if we [2]
Category: Super Junior
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-06-10
Packaged: 2018-07-14 07:24:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7159610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/upallnightstrungtight/pseuds/upallnightstrungtight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's coming home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	took the long way around

Ten-thirty was way too early to start getting tired, but none of them seemed all that perky right now. At some unknown point in time, two days started to feel like too much, no matter the necessity of it. Good thing Ryeowook was coming back tomorrow, though he was yawning right now, which set off Henry in turn. Donghae got hit with it next, his chin still resting on Henry’s shoulder, the circles he was rubbing into his back pausing. Making Henry bear more of his weight, he changed the circles to full strokes of his palm up and down his spine.

Almost enough.

“I wish I could’ve gone to see you. I bet you were great,” Henry said. _Glitter, too. I can’t believe you could make me think glitter looks good._

“What, you weren’t sick of hearing me practice?” Ryeowook grinned, but it looked increasingly difficult for him to stay upright, every part of him from his head to his arms to his knees sinking further and further, the latter slowly disappearing from the bottom of the screen.

“Nah,” Henry said, at the same time that Donghae chimed in with, “A little.” They all laughed for a moment.

“Jerk,” Henry muttered, kissing Donghae’s cheek before turning back to the camera. “What time’s your flight?” He said, though he was sure he should remember. Ryeowook pursed his mouth in that really cute way he did whenever he was thinking.

“Hm. Not until the afternoon. Four? Or five? Around there.”

“Will you make it?” Henry asked with no small amount of worry showing up in his expression.

“I should be fine,” Ryeowook said with a gentle smile. _A mountain would get up and walk if he aimed that smile at it and asked._ “There weren’t any earlier ones available on such short notice- Hyung, I know! I know, so you don’t need to make that sad face at me.” Henry ran his fingers through Donghae’s hair, the content hum he got in return settling warm in his chest as if he’d been the one to make it. “Anyway, that’ll give me enough time to see if I can find a decent camera.”

“Thanks,” Donghae said. “But you don’t have to. You should sleep in and then relax.” _You noticed too, huh?_ Henry thought sadly. Ryeowook only chuckled.

“I haven’t been able to do that for months now. It’s okay. I’ll try to get you something after I’ve eaten.” Assorted muffled noises came out until he finished squirming around. Henry noticed he’d gotten too close to the screen, so he pressed back harder against Donghae instead. “I already picked out something cute for you, Henry,” he said with a bright smile, tinged with mischief.

Exasperated, Henry puffed out his cheeks, exhaling exaggeratedly. Doing that made a sort of "fwooooor" sound that he belatedly realized might not come through right on the other side of the call. Or sound like an angry ghost or something. “I told you already, they’re things I thought _you_ would like.” Ryeowook laughed at him. “Hmph. You’ll believe me one day.”

“He misses you a lot,” Donghae said, nuzzling Henry’s neck for a second before continuing. “We both do.” He squished his cheek against Henry’s, momentum tilting them both forward, ruining the point of trying to get _further away_ from the screen. Even so, Henry couldn’t bring himself to try to move him.

Ryeowook looked at them with an overwhelming amount of affection. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Hey,” Henry said, well familiar with that tone. _Oh no you don’t._ As if reading his thoughts, Ryeowook started pouting before Henry had even had a chance to start. Oh well. "Say it. Saaaaaaaay iiiiiiiiiit." He drew out the sounds, wriggling in that cutesy way as best he could with Donghae in tow, like a bad habit he couldn’t, well, shake. (The cutesy stuff, not Donghae.) For his part, Donghae caught on pretty quickly, joining in on the demand somewhat more forcefully.

Ryeowook was unmistakably red now. He turned his head away, pouting harder. “I can’t,” he said petulantly.

“You’re cute, but I’m not letting you go until you do,” Henry said in an amused tone.

“It’s _embarrassing_ ,” Ryeowook replied, still not looking at them.

“Say it,” Donghae said one more time, but more softly. More like pleading. Ryeowook’s tongue darted out to wet his lips.

“Love you,” he said quietly, turning back partway towards them, his eyes still downcast. Henry refused to let him get lost in his thoughts or his worries.

“That’s what I wanted to hear!” Henry says as brightly as he can. “Sleep well!”

Ryeowook made an indignant sound, sort of like an “ugh!” but with broader, throatier sounds, more charming and emotional. A wondrous creature, he is. “Are you going to make me say it without saying it back?!”

“I might,” Henry said, all fake nonchalance. Donghae pushed him aside.

“Love you!” Donghae almost yelled, making a loud, exaggerated kissy face at the screen.

“Hey!” Henry laughed as he pushed back into the frame, resting his head on Donghae's shoulder. He trailed his fingers up and down Donghae’s arm, careful to press firmly enough not to tickle him. They didn’t have time for that at the moment. (Or maybe tickle fights weren’t quite as fun without their giggling referee interfering and getting caught in the mayhem.) Lacing their fingers together, he squeezed harder than he meant to. The only thing that calmed the jitters beneath his lightheartedness was Donghae squeezing back just as hard.

“I guess that's better,” Ryeowook grumbled. He didn’t look all that upset, though. Henry grinned impishly.

“Yes, I'm going to make you say it every time.” _When_ did _I start needing you this much? It shouldn’t be so hard to wait. It usually isn’t…_

“Maybe I won't call anymore when I’m away.” Ryeowook was teasing. Henry could tell these things, and he knew that Donghae could too by the way he exaggerated his disbelief to the point of being impossible to understand.

“Don't even try it. We'll hunt you down,” Henry said cheerfully. Having settled down, Donghae chimed in with slightly incoherent agreement, a half-strength yawn obscuring whatever it was that he was trying to say. Time to wrap up, at least twenty minutes later than they were supposed to. “Now get some sleep. Love you.” Henry put every bit of energy he could muster into that, because _he has to know. He has to know I mean it._

“...Love you.” Henry nearly melted on the spot when Ryeowook said it like that, quick and bashful and determined. He disconnected the call right after, too. _Tomorrow can’t come soon enough._

*

 _The flight’s delayed by an hour._ There aren’t enough sad faces in the world to send back. The knot of worry that twists his insides can’t be represented by anything, really, while _he promised_ and _it’s not his fault_ vie for the coveted spot of his main thought, neither gaining ground.

There was a story he read once where the hero had to count her steps to make her way through the dark and save the day in the end. This wasn't a maze, just a too-familiar hallway where it would never be any trouble to find the fifth door on the left, right next to the painting of purple butterflies on lilacs, but it gave him something to focus on. He had background music picked out in his head and everything.

He resisted the urge to check for further news every few minutes. _He’s fine,_ Henry told himself over and over. There’s no way he wouldn’t know by now if that _wasn’t_ true, after all. _Besides, he promised. And it’s not that big of a deal anyway. It’s **not**._

A fourth cup of coffee might’ve been a bad idea.

*

As soon as he came home, he used the last of his borrowed energy to look around with fresh eyes, finding every piece of furniture half overtaken by clothing. Sighing, he could already feel his back and feet ache. _Why didn't I do this yesterday?_ He thought. Paused. _'Cause yesterday was even worse_ , he remembered with a groan, trudging to the couch to lie down for a minute.

Even though it seemed really far right now, which made the floor tempting.

But, no, that was asking for trouble when he didn’t know when Donghae would get here. Really, it was cute and funny, at least when he himself wasn’t the object being jumped on. He sank into the cushions, letting his mind take bumpy, twisting roads wherever it pleased. Words and images turned stranger and stranger as he fell into a light doze.

His elbow smacking into the coffee table shook him out of it. Eight o’clock already? Yet still, there was nothing. With an annoyed grunt that sounded somewhat pathetic in the empty apartment, he rubbed his elbow as he sat up. _Come on, get it together._

Cleaning was slow going, regardless that he was rested enough. He’d always held the conviction that numbered milestones were arbitrary and ultimately meaningless, though he’d made a token effort before. It could be that he was getting sentimental, or settled in a way he’d never intended to be, but it didn’t seem so arbitrary anymore. He scrubbed a lumpy red splotch that had been hiding under a stack of plates, which were now lined up in the dishwasher. Sure, he wouldn’t have thought of it himself, but it _was_ an accomplishment, making it this far.

That, and it was important to them, which made it important to him.

By the time an hour had passed, there were no dusty patches or weird stains remaining, and his clothes were mostly where they should be. The dishwasher was running, humming and clanking while he threw stray socks into the hamper. As for the misses... Eh, they were close enough. No one would notice today. Keeping an eye on the door, he answered the siren song of the couch once more.

No, first, a nice, thorough handwashing. _Now_ he could lie down.

He woke to Donghae shaking his shoulder, pressed into the back of the couch as much by solid warmth as the gentlest smile on the planet. His sleepy blinking was rewarded with a peck to his forehead. “Mm. Hey, y’re back,” Henry mumbled, trying to convey all his mushy tender feelings that couldn’t be put into words with a lazy kiss, letting him go just long enough for a second bout of their lips sliding over each other. Now _this_ was the best thing to wake up to.

"Hmmm. All tired out?" Donghae asked, his tone warm but drooping with fatigue.

"Yeah," Henry said through a yawn. Donghae’s foot slid between his ankles, his hands gripping Henry’s shirt a bit tighter.

"Looks good," Donghae said with a yawn of his own that smelled faintly of booze. Henry kissed him again anyway, uncaring of the bitter taste. His body being suffused with Donghae’s sweetness more than made up for it. A light, steady touch on his cheek stayed behind as Donghae’s mouth left him. "Ah,” Donghae said as he craned his head around, his fingers sliding along Henry’s jaw as if he’d forgotten his hand was there.

“Thanks, I know I do.” Donghae laughed without looking at him, sliding higher up along Henry’s body in an effortlessly tempting way. _Probably didn’t even mean to,_ Henry thinks, feeling more awake. Donghae’s head rested on the arm of the couch as he came to a stop.

“Not you this time,” Donghae said. Henry would’ve pouted if he was looking. “He’ll be happy that you cleaned up.”

Henry snorted, but knew that was true. “Hand me my phone?” Those sounds were _close_ to the words he was trying to say, but Donghae clearly understood regardless, turning over partway and reaching his arm out.

Ten twenty-two. Five messages, but… none of them from him.

“Still nothing?” Donghae whined and clicked his tongue. Henry almost laughed from how endearing it was that after all this time, now was when he started picking up their habits of speech in a noticeable way. “He should’ve been back by now,” he said, starting out forceful but ending softly, as if he’d realized halfway through.

Henry squeezed him closer. It was quiet for a long time as they lay curled around each other on the couch, no words necessary while they sunk into the comfort of relearning each other. _Thank you for being here,_ he thought, though he’d said it so much recently that it didn’t feel right doing so again. They’d lain like this countless times, but there was hardly a better feeling in the world than being surrounded by Donghae’s limbs and heat and subtle scent. A vague stirring of arousal rose up without any urgency to it.

Some listless grumbling got more and more unintelligible as Donghae rolled over onto his other side. Henry snuck his hand under the hem of Donghae’s shirt as he did this, rubbing steady circles over his stomach that changed the grumbling into deep, relaxed breaths. It felt nice, too - not too rough, with a pleasant bit of softness.

Having something to do with his hands might help.

He nuzzled the crook of Donghae’s neck. “Want a massage?” He asked, already moving to rub Donghae’s lower back before he’d had a chance to answer. Donghae’s groan shot fresh sparks through him, appeased for the moment by stripping his shirt off. Thoroughness was key here, going over every bit, taking in the muscles of Donghae’s back and the breadth of his shoulders with both his hands and his eyes. Part of Henry never wanted to stop, enjoying the torment of Donghae’s face contorting in (mildly) painful pleasure, the obscene sounds he made, the commands he issued.

 _Wait. Wait a second._ An idea bubble was forming. “Hey,” Henry said, kneading small circles with his thumbs between Donghae’s shoulderblades.

“Hmmmm?”

“Water guns?” He said with a rising inflection, already getting excited about the idea.

“Yeah. It’s hot enough,” Donghae answered, his voice rough enough to almost distract Henry right back to his first idea. But not quite - he was already picking his team in the back of his mind. And thinking about cookies. _Cheesecake cookies. With strawberries?_

“I’ll start planning tomorrow,” Henry said, leaning down to peck the back of Donghae’s head. “I’m finally going to win this year, I just know it,” he said just above a whisper. Donghae laughed and wriggled underneath him, telling him to get back to it as clearly as if he’d said the words. _So cute._

Henry thought, for the millionth time, that every adventure was a lot better when Donghae was with him. This time, though, it might be more fun to go up against him. Just once. He even had an idea or two for a friendly wager they could make.

Reluctantly, he sat back up, lethargic from the calming effect of the whiff of Donghae’s scent he got. That barely lasted a second when he ground the heels of his palms low on Donghae’s back. Another one of those groans and the firm give of his ass beneath where Henry sat… _That_ brought some of that urgency back up to the surface, tempting him to pin Donghae’s wrists down, see how he receptive he is. But- it’s just- maybe later. Not now, when he’s fretting, when he’s _waiting_. They’re both waiting.

*

At eleven thirty-eight, the door clicked open at last.

From the look of him, it was astounding Ryeowook was upright, yawning almost nonstop, head drooping and popping back up like a dipping bird. Not for the first time, Henry found himself frozen in place, not sure what to do or where to start. Donghae had no such problem, running over and picking Ryeowook up while hugging him. He hardly even protested.

“Fell asleep,” Ryeowook nearly mumbled. “So much traffic.”

“I told you to sleep in,” Donghae gently scolded.

“Couldn’t,” Ryeowook whined without much force.

“Fuck! Ow!” No point in figuring out what he stubbed his toe on hurrying closer to the door, because the only thing that mattered to Henry right now was joining that hug. Joining _them._ He skidded to a halt, moving this way and that until he found a comfortable spot.

“You okay?” Ryeowook asked, then pecked his chin. Henry hummed in response. More than enough.

They were having one of their moments, though Henry didn’t know how he knew, but he nonetheless stepped back after a minute, considering whether to make some tea. Donghae was hugging Ryeowook so tightly that it looked painful. _Nah, too keyed up already._

“I missed you.” The turnaround was still something of a relief; Donghae had finally stopped clamming up when faced with too many emotions. Not that Ryeowook would’ve let him get away with that for long anyway. But when it came to this casual, plainly worded sort of affection… Henry was no slouch in the sweet words department most of the time, but Donghae was unrivaled, for better or worse. (His timing was occasionally strange, but the sentiment was sincere.) “I’m glad you’re back.”

 “I missed you too,” Ryeowook said. Pockets of tension visibly melted away by ones and twos, leaving him slumped in Donghae’s grasp. Henry decided against tea once and for all, running his hands up and down each of their arms.

"...And?" Henry pointedly asked. Ryeowook instantly pouted at him. “Say it.” That made him start whining again, too.

“Say iiiiiit,” Donghae chimed in. Henry laughed; looks like Donghae’s taken on this battle as well.

“You’re ganging up on me already?!” Ryeowook huffed, hiding his face against Donghae’s chest.

“Come on, say it,” Henry said, poking what was visible of Ryeowook’s cheek. Another laugh escaped him at their little play. If Ryeowook was truly angry, there’d be no mistaking it. He’d be an icicle. This was them doing what they always did - pushing each other forward to new and better things, with teasing and complaining always included.

“Okay, fine,” Ryeowook grumbled. Henry looked at him expectantly, brimming with adoration for this fussy, stubborn, kind, utterly wonderful man. With a sigh, Ryeowook pulled his shoulders up. “Love you,” he said, closing his eyes.

"Love you," Donghae returned, stroking Ryeowook's hair in slow, smooth sweeps.

"Love you so much," Henry added with a peck to Ryeowook's temple. His chest felt a bit tight and something almost itched behind his eyes. "Thank you," he said more quietly, resting his head partly on Ryeowook's shoulder and partly on Donghae's upper arm. "And thank you for making it back in time."

"A hundred is a big number," Ryeowook said with a sort of measured consideration. So much more lay beneath those few syllables, so, so much that it warmed Henry right down to his toes. Clearly, Donghae heard it as well, because Ryeowook let out the same surprised squeak he always did when Donghae suddenly squeezed him too hard.

Still, sweetness like that deserved a good, hard kiss. Henry was happy to deliver. More than happy to monopolize him and take in that low, rich sound that spoke of all-consuming heat building up between them, his hands loosely cupping Henry’s hips.

It seems Donghae had the same thought, though, because he not only steals Ryeowook for a kiss of his own after barely a few seconds, he also lifts him with ease ( _that’s still kinda hot)_ , miraculously managing to make it to the couch. Ryeowook’s knees pressed into the cushions on either side of Donghae; they looked at ease together in a way that spoke of home.

Henry had followed them without realizing, so he threw his legs over the arm of the couch and laid back. He stared at them upside-down. That knot of unease unwinding was the familiar feeling of his insides settling down. Everything was good and happy and calm, his heart no longer stretched out of shape.

Ryeowook turned around on Donghae’s lap, his fingertips just reaching to gently trace small arcs over the top of Henry’s head. “Get some pizza, hm? I don’t feel like picking something.” A very light forehead massage came next.

“Mmmmm. Okay,” Henry said. A few seconds and it was done, and he didn’t even have to move all that much.

“Again?” Donghae grumbled a few moments later. Not relishing the thought of dealing with that, Henry poked him. He just wanted to lie here for a while in relative peace.

“It's easy and I already ordered it,” he said, sounding whinier than he’d like.

“It sounds good to _me_ ,” Ryeowook said with a yawn. _Gotta love having backup,_ Henry thought, feeling not a small amount of relief as he nudged Ryeowook’s hand with his head for more touch. _Mmsonice._

“Fine, I'm outnumbered,” Donghae said, chuckling.

“I'll make whatever you want for breakfast, okay?” Ryeowook said sweetly. That tone always set off a little fluttery feeling that was hard to put into words.

Placating Donghae was successful, judging by the pleased hum Henry hears, as well as the all-too-enticing sounds of their kissing, but Ryeowook pulled away hardly a second after Henry turned over to look. A pitiful whimper escaped him at being deprived so suddenly, almost before they got started. He headbutted someone’s leg, pathetically weak, before turning onto his back again.

Tension crept in. Henry turned onto his side and grabbed the remote to switch on the TV, then immediately muted it. It was easy to leave it where it was. He refused to think about whether that was some kind of metaphor while he stared at what appeared to be an infomercial.

“Is that a blender?” Donghae asked.

“No, I bet it’s one of those weird exercise machines,” Henry said. “Like the horse thing.”

“You’re both wrong,” Ryeowook said through a yawn. “It’s something for dogs.”

“No way. Can’t be,” Henry said, quieter than before, though he snorted out a laugh anyway. None of them unmuted the commercial to check, more concerned with cuddling closer. He sat up, moving nearer until his thigh pressed against Donghae’s, resting his head on Donghae’s shoulder and intertwining his fingers with Ryeowook’s now hanging down over his chest, elbow hooked around his neck. _I’m the luckiest guy in the entire world._ The hand squeeze he got before they jointly switched to a more comfortable loose hold only confirmed it.

“I wanna go somewhere,” Donghae mumbled. “Eat new food and sit on a park bench. Climb a tree. Breathe different air until it changes me from the inside out. And learn how to make balloon animals without popping them.” _How are you so fucking cute when you’re half asleep?_ Henry rubbed his cheek against Donghae’s shoulder for a couple of seconds before getting too tired again. _Maybe bed. Soon_ , he thought, not wanting to move yet.

“Okay, hyung. Whatever you want,” Ryeowook said, sounding much more awake than Donghae. Not that that was a high bar.

“I want one of those wristbands that lets you control your temperature. This summer is the _worst_ ,” Henry said with a groan. “If I can’t live on a moon base, I want at least some of the cool stuff we’re supposed to have already.” Ryeowook laughs, his forearm moving off Henry’s chest so that he could poke his cheek.

“Why would you want to live on the moon?” Ryeowook asked with bewildered amusement clear in his voice.

“I could jump _so high!_ ” Henry demonstrated by flinging his arms up, though in a lazy way, dragging one of Ryeowook’s along with him. Embarrassed, he let go, resting his arm across Ryeowook’s legs instead, his knuckles brushing against Donghae’s wrist.

“Flips and somersaults, and really cool wall kicks,” Donghae added. “Be like a superhero.” A small yawn both punctuated and distorted his words. “No one could tell us what to do, either, because we’d be on the moon. Mmn. Loveyou,” he mumbled. Henry put his hand over one of Donghae’s, both of them now resting on Ryeowook’s thigh. They fell quiet for a while in front of the bright colors on the screen. _Should get to bed._

Since both of them were nearly asleep, he didn’t bother making them go through the charade of figuring out who was going to get up, sliding off the couch as soon as he heard the buzz. He always did it in the end anyway. Coming back to grateful murmurs and Donghae’s wide, heartmelting grin made taking the initiative worth it. That, and scritches under his chin.

Right now, life was good.

“I’m not used to saying it, okay?” Ryeowook suddenly said. When he made to move off Donghae’s lap, Henry automatically made space for him. He draped his arm across Ryeowook’s shoulders as soon as he was settled down, while Donghae promptly tipped over. _Guess he’s not that hungry._ Henry couldn’t help but run his fingers through Donghae’s hair while his other hand fidgeted with Ryeowook’s sleeve.

“Mm?” Donghae said a beat later than expected, sounding most of the way asleep. Henry moved to squeeze his shoulder, then brushed his lips over Ryeowook’s temple, a faint flutter in his chest.

“I’m not used to it, especially not when it’s important.” Ryeowook took a deep breath. “But I’m trying.” In lieu of an answer, or so it seemed, Donghae nuzzled Ryeowook’s stomach with a partially-muffled yawn.

“Thank you,” Henry whispered. He kissed Ryeowook’s cheek, then the top of Donghae’s head.

“Let’s go to bed,” Ryeowook said. “Donghae, I’m not letting you fall asleep here again.” Though it involved some- a lot of grumbling noises, Donghae conceded and let both of them pull him up. Once he was making his own way there, Henry turned off the TV, leaving the empty box to deal with tomorrow. Even as tired as he was, he jogged over to catch up, sliding a little on the floor. Slidey socks were definitely a good decision.

“Get over here,” Donghae whined from the bed, already clutching one of the pillows close. He was half covered by the thin sheet Henry had had to switch to. Off went the socks, along with everything else, forming a pile in the corner. Crawling underneath it from the other side, he scooted until he could mold his body to Donghae’s. “Mmmm.” With that, Donghae pulled the sheet up further, then stopped squirming.

Ryeowook was standing still in the doorway, worrying at his lip with his teeth.

“Babe? You okay?” Henry hadn’t meant to say one of those terms of endearment, not when he still felt so unsure about the whole concept, but Ryeowook seemed unconcerned. He made an “eung” sound, seeming distracted. A car rushed by outside loudly enough to be heard in their silence. He took a step forward, slowly, letting his lip go at last. Henry eased his arm from around Donghae’s waist so that he could sit up.

“Wha’sit?” Donghae piped up, clearly mostly asleep, not opening his eyes or moving much at all except to burrow even further into the blanket.

“I… I sleep better when you’re both with me,” Ryeowook quietly admitted, just past the threshold of the bedroom. From here, it sounded a lot like _I love you._ He seemed to be staring at the tiny teddy bear propped up against the lamp on the nightstand. _Of course I kept it, dummy. Its name is Buttercup now. I’ll tell you that tomorrow, too._ Patting its tiny head twice, Henry then dimmed the light further, which seemed to nudge Ryeowook out of whatever thoughts he was stuck in.

“Then come to bed already,” he said, fond and amused all at once as he leaned back, propping himself up on one elbow. Making a big deal out of it would only set them back, he’d learned. He held his arm out, curved to hold open a waiting space. Donghae rolled over; Henry knew from the feel alone that that was Donghae’s forehead pressing into his chest like so many times before. A soft smile was an unavoidable consequence when faced with so much preciousness. The emotion lingered in his eyes when he looked back up, as though there was nothing more important than sharing it.

One more step. So close. Ryeowook radiated such strong adoration that it was almost unbearable. Better yet, he smiled like he understood, then took another step towards them, his knee coming up to indent the edge of the mattress.

A soft thump and a second pile of clothes later, the space was filled exactly as it should be. Ryeowook’s long breaths fluttered over his neck, Donghae’s elbow was just short of digging painfully into his hip, and he never, ever wanted to let them go.


End file.
